SNP’s word of the day: Hippopotomonstrosesquiped….

Word: Hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia; also spelled hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia. Spot the difference!

Meaning: The fear of long words.

Usage: “Those who find this column troubling are suffering from hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia—the fear of long words. Or, more likely, rupophobia0—a fear of rubbish.” — Chris Lloyd, The Northern Echo, quote via Wiktionary.

You should know it because: Selfridges has recently opened a library and bookish shop, Word Words Words, and to promote it, the @Selfridges Twitter account is tweeting words of the day, every day. (Ahem, we did it first.) On Tuesday, the word was “hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia,” a word meant to both define and trigger the phobia of long, multi-syllabic language units.

The word is rarely used; the formal, academic equivalent is sesquipedaliophobia, a mere LOL by comparison. But the h-word is fun/insane to say (if you can do it even one time fast, you’re a hero) and will impress members of your book club. It’s a long word for the sake of a long word, as so many long words are.

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